It’s hard to believe that we will ring in a new year in just a few short weeks. Wasn’t it just the start of 2013? The beginning of a new year takes on a whole different meaning here at Appian. Though it may be hard to imagine, we’re just a few months away from Appian World 2014!

And being that it’s the holiday season, we’re giving the gift of announcing the keynote speakers for Appian’s premier event! Appian is pleased to announce that Robert Herjavec, star of the hit reality TV show Shark Tank, and Daryl Plummer, Gartner Managing Vice President and Chief of Research, will be headlining this year’s conference.

Aside from his role on Shark Tank, where business pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs are received by a panel of potential investors, Robert Herjavec is one of North America’s most recognizable business leaders and successful entrepreneurs. He has built and sold businesses on his way to amassing a personal fortune of over $150 Million, and has started a number of technology companies that have been successfully acquired by AT&T and Nokia.

Robert is the founder of the Herjavec Group (THG), which in a few short years grew from sales of $400K, with 3 employees to sales of over $125 million and 165 people – making it one of the fastest growing technology Companies in Canada (Profit Magazine), top 350 largest privately held Companies (Globe & Mail), and # 1 Cyber Security Company in the country (Branham). In addition to Emmy-nominated Shark Tank, which serves as one of ABC’s highest rated shows with over 7 million viewers, Robert is also a best-selling author with two published books – Driven (2010) and The Will to Win (2013).

Daryl Plummer has been at Gartner for 15 years and has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry. Daryl is chief of research for cloud computing and a primary analyst covering multiple cloud topics, BPM, SOA and Web technologies. Daryl also manages the Gartner Fellows Program, which is designed to allow analysts the opportunity to explore new research ideas while elevating the Gartner culture and brand. Gartner calls mobility, social, cloud and data the “Nexus of Forces” that are disrupting enterprise IT, and Daryl consistently gives his perspective on how to harness these forces to accelerate work and business performance.

Prior to joining Gartner, Daryl served as data center director for the Florida Technology Resource Center where he managed the introduction of statewide client/server systems. Daryl was instrumental in the design and implementation of the Florida Communities Network as well as the state’s economic internet presence.

Appian is excited to feature these distinguished guests who will provide Appian World 2014 attendees with innovative ideas on how to best achieve their business goals for the coming year. Both Herjavec and Plummer promise to leave attendees amazed with personal accounts of their road to industry and entrepreneurial success, and what it takes to stay ahead of the competition in the fast-paced IT world.

If you haven’t already, be sure to register now for Appian World 2014, and continue to check back on our blog for more conference updates regarding the agenda, speaking engagements, and customer presentations!